Have you ever wondered what’s really happening when a manager makes you feel small? Maybe they were multitasking in a meeting, or late to a career defining conversation. What happens when people are given power without the tools to wield it responsibly? And what might our organizations look like if we invested in management competence before employees reach their breaking point?

Melissa and Johnathan Nightingale, founders of Raw Signal Group, share their experiences working for “incompetent” bosses, and explain why most managers don’t learn the basics of the job until they have no other choice.

(00:00) The Scrap of Paper
(03:25) Crying in the Bathroom Every Day
(08:30) The Manager Manager Manager
(14:26) The Tools Every Manager Needs
(20:18) The Problem with Most Feedback
(27:34) “Nobody Wants to Work Anymore”
(33:12) Management Tools vs. Leadership Bumper Stickers
(38:31) Taking Control of Your Own Career
(42:42) Building Skills and Finding Better Workplaces

Johnathan and Melissa are the founders of Raw Signal Group, world experts on management and leadership, and bestselling authors of the book “How F*cked Up Is Your Management?”

Follow Johnathan and Melissa on Bluesky, find their work at rawsignal.ca, and subscribe to their newsletter at worldsbestnewsletter.com.

See also:

Out of Office by Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen
How F*cked Up Is Your Management? by Johnathan and Melissa Nightingale
Situation-Behavior-Impact Feedback Model

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Work Face is produced by Hear Me Out, a culture strategy firm for leaders with the courage to listen. We help them cultivate trust by having real conversations with employees at all levels about what’s working and what’s not.

Learn more at hearmeout.co and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.